The present invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating, in handicapped people or patients, the undressing and dressing of the abdominal region and also to facilitate access thereto.
In this disclosure, the term abdominal region is employed to signify that portion of a human body which begins at the waist and ends at the knees.
There is a need in the art for an assistive apparatus which facilitates the handling of handicapped people or patients, for example in connection with visits to the toilet, in connection with undressing and dressing, in connection with such visits and when washing the abdominal region.
It is obvious that there is also a need to be able, in the dressed state, to move handicapped people, for example, from a bed or a chair to, for example, a toilet or a shower, etc., and when in place in the toilet area or shower area to prepare and place the person such that he/she may perform the necessary ablutions. It is also desirable that the return transport of the patient to the bed or the chair takes place in the clothed state. Naturally, it is also desirable that seated handicapped people (for example within geriatric care) be moved from and to the bed in the clothed state and be dressed or undressed at the bedside.
A further need in the art is that it should require only one carer to help a handicapped or sick person in connection with, for example, showering or a toilet visit. By limiting the need to but a single carer, the possibility is created for more time for the staff to assist and be together with, for example patients or residents at a home for the elderly.
A further wish that has been voiced within the care sector is to reduce the requirements on heavy lifting.
The present invention relates to an apparatus in which the above-outlined needs and wishes have been satisfied. This is put into effect by means of the technology as disclosed in the characterizing clause of the appended independent Claim.
The apparatus according to the present invention consists of a seat and a back support which are disposed to form between them an open area in which a person located in the apparatus is not supported. The apparatus includes means for displacing the seat and the back support between a first position in which the person is substantially entirely supported by the seat and to a second position in which the person is substantially entirely supported by the back support.
In the first position, the possibility is created of pulling down, for example, the patient""s trousers to a position in which, after switching of the apparatus to the second position, the trousers are not clamped between the patient and the apparatus. As a result, the trousers may be wholly or partly removed from the patient without the carer needing to carry out any heavy lifting operation.
In order to simplify the text, the word xe2x80x9ctrousersxe2x80x9d has been employed in this disclosure and will also be employed below. While the word xe2x80x9ctrousersxe2x80x9d is normally employed for a specific item of clothing, in this disclosure it has a much broader scope. A person skilled in the art will readily perceive that problems corresponding to those which exist in the undressing and dressing of trousers also occur in the undressing and dressing of many other forms and items of clothing such as underwear, skirts, stockings etc. and also diapers. The apparatus according to the present invention also facilitates undressing and dressing for such items of clothing, since the apparatus makes it possible progressively to exposure various parts of the abdomen from abutment against the apparatus. As a result, the word xe2x80x9ctrousersxe2x80x9d is to be taken in this disclosure to relate to all forms of clothing for which the apparatus facilitates dressing or undressing of items of clothing, where the apparatus reduces the need for heavy lifting operations in connection with the dressing or undressing of items of clothing.
In undressing, the apparatus to the invention is, in a first step, set to a first position in which the upper portion and substantially the whole central area of the abdominal region of a person located in the apparatus are free from abutment against the apparatus, and in a second step is set to a second position in which substantially the entire central area of the abdominal region is free from abutment against the apparatus, while the lowermost area of the abdominal region (substantially only the lower part of the thighs or the central and lower parts of the thighs) abut against the apparatus with but light pressure. In the first position, it is simple to pull down the trousers to the patient""s thighs and, in the second position, it is simple to continue the undressing operation by, if necessary, lifting the patient""s legs (possibly one at a time) for continued removal of the trousers.
Expedient embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention are disclosed in the appended subclaims.